Chapter 10 of Bishop Doyle‘s book – Unabashedly Episcopal

 

Acts Chapter 2.47 Praising God and winning the approval of all the people.  Day by day the Lord added to their number those who were being saved.

Acts Chapter 3

• Cure of the Cripple

1 three o’clock

2 “the beautiful”

3 alms

4 fixed gaze

5 whole attention

6 Peter said: “I have no silver or gold, but what I have I give you in the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth, stand up and walk.

7 the beggar’s feet and ankles became strong

8 walking, jumping about and praising

9 when the people saw him

10 sit at the Beautiful Gate

Peter’s Discourse

15 You put to death the author of life

17 I know that you acted out of your

22 …raise up…a prophet…from among your own kinsmen…

26 God sent his servant to bless you by turning you from your evil ways.

Chapter 4.9 If we must answer today for a good deed done to a cripple and explain how he was restored to health, then you and all the people of Israel must realize that it was done in the name of Jesus Christ the Nazorean…

When there is a father figure showing the way, one can be productive.

Short term gimmicks can lead to productivity that appears miraculous.

You have to catch fish in order to learn how to fish.

In time gimmicks need to be retired.

One has to feel productive before becoming productive.

It doesn’t matter how much or how many but how and how well?

At the end of every day …our…actions speak louder than our…promises.

 

It Matters How You Live

The Rich feast sumptuously while the poor get sores.

Those who received good things will be in agony in hell.  Those who received evil things will receive comfort far away.  No one can cross from hell to here.

If those receiving good things will not listen to the living they will not listen to those rising from the dead.

Luke 15:32  The brother of yours was dead, and has come back to life.  He was lost, and is found.

Luke 16:19-31  …you were well of in your lifetime, while [he] was in misery…

Luke 17:1-2 Scandals will inevitably arise, but woe to him through whom they come.  He would be better off thrown into the sea with a millstone around his neck than giving scandal to one of these little ones.

It matters how the rich man in the house treats the poor man lying at his gate.

Care for the sheep who have no shepherd.

If you love the shepherd, feed the sheep.  John 21:15, 17

We are responsible for the people in our lives and for the people around us.

Radical message is to radically reconfigure family to mean each one is a brother or sister.

If one has taken responsibility for me, I should take responsibility for my community.

Not just the few, the very few, that we like.

Someone is standing at the gate waiting for us.

We can take up our responsibility for one another, and share our lives…

 

Good and Dangerous News

Act out of deep care and solidarity with the suffering.

Each day one comes to the gate hoping to receive some measure of kindness.

No gold or silver but something better.  Acts 3:1-8

A source of transformation for hurt and need.

Out-narrate the rival narratives about what the world is…

Live so that others are attracted to our character and peace…

“…after his resurrection Jesus ascended into heaven and at the end of the age he will come in glory to judge the living and the dead…” The narrative is that both the living and the dead will be judged…

Go further with unique proclamations…

The Baptismal Covenant:

1. Supported by
   1. Scripture,
   2. teachings,
   3. prayer,
   4. sacraments
2. Mission work sends us into the world to enact the gospel for Jesus:
   1. first,
   2. last
   3. always
3. Outreach meets the needs of the whole person:
   1. spiritual
   2. physical
4. Proclaim the reign of God in
   1. voice
   2. action
5. Believers are
   1. taught
   2. baptized
   3. nurtured
6. Respond by serving
7. Transform unjust
8. Seek sustainable and renewing initiatives that redeem humanity and creation
9. Root outreach and mission in
   1. Scripture
   2. Tradition
   3. Reason
10. Meet the needs of others by joining hands with those with different
    1. theology
    2. ideology
    3. identity
11. Change by serving and walking with the
    1. poor
    2. voiceless
    3. oppressed
12. God’s grace saves us and gives us power to serve & act

The story of our faith is what we are given and what we have to offer.

Episcopal

• Epi means on or above
• Scope means to see in order to act, to target, to observe

 

Sharing the mission and a Message

Meet people outside our doors as a responsibility.

 

A common mission prepares us to meet the people outside our door because we have received grace and mercy.

In order to meet God at his gate, I must hold the hand of the one outside my gate.

In order to come to rest in the bosom of Abraham I must arrive holding the hand of the one sitting at my gate of comfort.